Being Selfless in a Selfie Generation

Long gone are the days when we used our cameras to take pictures of our family and friends. I never asked someone to take a picture of me all alone. It was always me with my friends or me with my boy friend and later, my husband and family. Selfies didn’t exist then and cameras were too large and awkward to hold steady while taking a photo of ourself. My phone is too awkward to hold steady for me to take a selfie – so no fear – you won’t be seeing this gal – up close and personal!

How times have changed! Selfies have changed the way many people take photographs. We used the "selfie" opportunity to get all of us in the photo when we didn't have an outsider to take the photo for us at our retreat on Saturday. My children have used it to get all of us in the photo for the same reason. Sometimes we just need to be US focused. But the true "selfie" is about me taking photos of ME! One celebrity said she takes 500 selfies before finding one she likes enough to post. Another article said the average teen takes 12 minutes per selfie, from preparing the shot to editing it. It really is a "ME" generation!

How is it that God gave us so many examples in the Bible so many years ago that are so relevant to our lives in this social media, high-tech world today? St. Paul wrote this: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit”. (Philippians 2:3)

Honestly, I am writing this blog today – not because of a selfie issue, but I like to stay in tune with the Holy Spirit enough to know when I’m letting pride sneak into my life. Pride is an enemy of our souls. I feel that gentle nudge when I’m overthinking what I’m going to wear for this or that occasion. Or if I had to have the last word in a conversation. Or, yes, I may be a guilty of over-checking my social media posts for "likes" or "loves". All these admitted issues certainly feed the pride in my life. I sense it and I have to repent when I’ve fallen prey to those snares of the enemy. I didn’t finish the Philippians 2:3 scripture above – the second part says “rather, in humility, value others above yourselves.” Did Paul know what we would be doing in this day and time? It sure sounds like it, doesn’t it?, He’s telling us to be more interested in focusing on valuing others.

“Humility isn’t thinking less of ourselves. It’s thinking of ourselves less.” The more we put the spotlight on others, the happier and more fulfilled we'll become. Maybe instead of selfies, we should turn outward to others and smile, not for a selfie, but so others who need to be valued, could sure use that smile today!

To Err is Human.....But Who Likes Making Mistakes?

I spend many hours of my day at my computer; typing my daily posts, providing technical editing for other writers and giving encouragement to friends on social media. With all that typing, editing and publishing, I installed a writing app called "Grammarly". Grammarly's app makes sure my messages, documents, and social media posts are clear and mistake-free. The app highlights the incorrect spelling or punctuation and I just tap on it, and whoa la -- everything is corrected. Within seconds, I've made my corrections and I'm good to go. What a blessing it is, considering the old days when we used a manual or electric typewriter. If we made mistakes with our typing then, we used correcting paper or correcting ink. It was laborious, and often difficult to make corrections if a space was needed between words. Whew! We've come a long way, Baby!

And isn’t that true in our lives, as well? As much as we try to do better, it seems our nature is prone to emotional, physical and spiritual mistakes. Maybe it has to do with the company we're keeping, some unhealthy habits, some compromising of our ethics and integrity, or literally missing the mark. Little mistakes can really slow us down and even limit some of the blessings God wants to give us. I remember back in my early learning-to-type days when I made so many mistakes because I wasn't focusing or I was concentrating more on speed than being mistake-free. Now, at this stage of my life, I really want to be as mistake-free as possible, but like what I heard someone say "I do really well with living mistake-free, but then I get out of bed and meet up with people, and then I need the "correcting fluid" to clean up my mistakes.

I was being challenged by my own post by purposing to live a mistake-free life. I know that's just not possible. As long as we're in these earth suits, we'll be prone to missing the mark. But here's the good news: God is so quick to forgive us when we come to Him, and like the "correcting fluid" I used, "Wite-Out", God applies His "white-out" to our mistakes and not only covers them, but He makes us white as snow. "Come now, let's settle this," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool." Isaiah 1:18 His forgiveness really is divine.

I've come to know that focusing my attention on getting it right in my heart, attitude and life makes for a beautiful page in this chapter and book of my life. My daily prayers are “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.” Psalm 51:10 and "Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O God!" Psalm 19:4